PHONETICS

TWO: ORGANS OF SPEECH

(The Vocal Tract)

To be able to pronounce the sounds clearly and correctly, we need to know how
they are made. English sounds are produced as the air stream flows from the lungs to
the mouth. This air passage changes shape till the air escapes, forming different
sounds. To understand how sounds are produced we need to identify the different
parts of the air passage or vocal tract.

1. First, air is expelled from the LUNGS.

2. Air then passes through the LARYNX, which is informally called Adam's
Apple, the vocal cords, or technically the "GLOTTIS". The vocal cords are
little lips that can take different positions, modifying the sound produced.
They can open slightly while vibrating, as whenproducing the sounds /z/, /v/,
or /ʒ/. (You can feel this vibration if you put your finger over your Adam's
Apple while saying the sounds /z/ or /v/, or /ʒ/ over a long time.) This
vibration is also called "voice", so that these are described as "voiced" sounds.
The vocal cords can also open widely, without any vibration, as when
pronouncing the sounds /f/, /s/ or /ʃ/ , which are therefore called "voiceless"
sounds. (Put your finger again over your Adam's Apple while saying any of
these sounds and you will not feel any vibration.) The third role of the vocal
cords is to close and then open suddenly as when producing the sound /?/ or ‫أ‬
in Arabic.
3. The TONGUE moves and takes different shapes by raising or lowering
different parts of it. For practical reasons, the tongue can be said to consist of
different parts: the TIP, the BLADE, the FRONT, and the BACK, all of which
are moveable parts.
4. The roof of the mouth is touched by the different parts of the tongue. The
different parts of the roof are: the SOFT PALATE or velum ( whichis the
middle to the back end of the roof); the HARD PALATE (which isthe middle
of the roof); and the TEETH RIDGE or alveolum, which isimmediately behind
the teeth.

1
 5. The upper and lower TEETH.
6. The upper and lower LIPS may close completely to produce /p/ or /b/, or take
different shapes in producing vowel sounds. They are spread when
pronouncing "fill" or "feel", rounded when pronouncing "full" or "fool", and
neutral when pronouncing "fall".

SUMMARY
1. English sounds are produced as the air stream flows from the lungs to the
mouth. The air passage changes shape till the air escapes forming different
sounds.
2. The different parts of the air passage are:
The lungs
The larynx and the glottis (or vocal cords)
The tongue (tip, blade, front, and back)
The roof of the mouth (the soft palate or velum, the hard palate, the
teeth ridge or alveolum)
The upper and lower teeth
The upper and lower lips